Apparatus for conveying glass from forming devices



June ,24, 1930. BOUDIN A 41,767,913

APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING GLASS FROM FORMING DEVICES I Filed Oct. 20, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet' 1 A T TORNEY IN VEN TOR.

L. BoUD'lN APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING GLASS FROM FORMIVNG DEVICES :2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 20, 1927 algp llllllllllllll|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||l|||||||||||l|||||l|l INVENTOR.. x

A TTORNE y,s. I

tpatented June 24, 1930 5 UNI-TEO STATES PATE N1 -OFFICE LOUIS ROUDIN, or s'r. GORAIN, FRANCE, AssIGNoR To SOCIT' ANONYME DES MANU- FACTUREs DES GLACEs a PRODUITS CHIMIQUES DE sAINTGoRA1N,.CHAUNY a OIREY, OE PARIS, FRANCE APPARATUS FOR CONVEYING GLAss FROM EORMING DEvICEs Application led October 20, 1'927,Seria1 No. 227,580, and in France October 30, 1926.

c In apparatus hitherto generallyemployed for the intermittent manufacture of sheet glass, the means for the reception of each plate or sheet on its discharge from the/ rolling machine and to carry it to the entrance of the lehrs has been a movable table made of refractory lelements mounted on a carriage.

While onev sheet is being rolled the table is advanced at a rate of speed at least equal to that of rolling, so as to avoid exerting any. force on the glass capable of making folds orcreases in the'sheets. When this is done the table is stopped opposite the entrance to the lehr and the sheet manually or mechanically shoved from oil the table into the lehr, the table'then returned to its point of starting for a new operation.

This method of transport presents the following disadvantages:

l. The slightest roughness or inequality in the upper surface of the refractory elements of they table is imparted to the lower surface of the still plastic glassfsheets which makes contact with this refractory material. The result is that the lower surfaces of the sheet are not smooth, but dull. andl more or less rough.

2. These alterations of 'the glass are accentuated by dislocations and fractures of the refractory material of the table apparatus, due to successive heating and cooling and the reciprocatory movements of the table, the result being inequalities in the level of the glass sheets, which frequently cause breakage during transport and use.

3. In the `manufacture of impressed glass the design is dimmed or distorted by reason of the contact of the glass platesowith the refractory material, and in' some cases coun-4 ter-reliefs are formed on the non-imprinted surface of the plates.

4. The operation of the tables and frequent repairs necessary for they (refractory) covering are the cause of'great expense.

5. The space` occupied by the apparatus behind the rolling machine at the beginning of each operation is an inconvenience in gl-assrolling plants. f

' able, for example,

the glass.

.or in a direction The present invention is intended to eliminate these defects.

It consists in replacing the movable table by a series of rollers, actuated mechanically, arranged parallel with the rolling cylinders, and at right angles to the entrance of the lehr, so that the sheets of rolled glass move horizontally over a planedetermined by the upper generatrices of the rollers, the peripheral speed thereof being equal to or slightly greater than the speed of sheet formation, for the'purpose of facilitating the entraining (carrying along) ofthe sheets.

Preferably, the axes' of the rollers are carried on a chassis which may be fixed o r mov- 4mounted on a carriage which is held stat'onary'during operative periods and which may be moved to facilitate access to the rolling machine and the lehr during inoperative periods. p

In order to prevent bending or distortion ofthe head of each sheet, the spaces betweeii the roller may be provided, particuyfrom one to the next roller.

The rollers may be driven either by the elements` of the rolling machine, or by the drive mechanism of the pendent drive.

vThese rollers, as well may be of metal'or of a non-conductor of heat. Their surface may b e smooth or provided with portions in relief, so as to reduce the area in Contact with l Their surfaces may, for example, be channelled either axiallyof therollers as the filling bars,

with respect to the axis of the rollers and may differ in character and position in veach roller; A simple method consists in helically winding on the tubes which form the rollers metal wires welded to said tubes, the direction of the winding differing in different rollers.

Practice has shown:

1. That with Suitable reliefs it is possible latter, or by an indeperpendicular or inclined material which is a g5 glass sheets on the rolls it is possible to insert them into the lehr atthe moment in which they arrive opposite the opening thereof without the necessity of stopping or even slowing the rotary movement of the rolls.

The accompanying drawings show by'way of example several embodiments of the invention. A

Fig. -1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 a plan view of the apparatus embodying my invention, and adapted to carrying out the process hereinafter claimed.

Figs. 3 and 4 are elevations of a structure embodying my invention placed between two i rolling machines and adapted to be used with either.

Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 illustrate different types i, of' rollers.

A is the rolling machine, such for instance as that known as a Chance machine, of which are shown only the two rolls B and C 'and the tablet D which supports the glass plate i `E on its exit from said machine. As is well known forming machines of this kind'produce disconnected sheets.

F/is the chassis o he table mounted on the wheels G which run on tracks H.

Carried by the chassi are bearings I in whichthe shafts J of rollers K are mounted. Gears L, keyed to the shafts J, are driven by the worms M on a longitudinal shaft N actuated through the clutch R by a mechanism O lwhich receives its movement either from the machine A or a motor. The clutch permits the ready disconnection of parts on the carriage from the forming machine when the former is withdrawn. Filling bars P are placed between the initial rollers K and I 352,636, filed April 4, 1929, I claim broadly slightly below the upper surface thereof to support the forward ends of the glass sheets.

Q, is the lehr,.the entrance to which'is opposite ,the rollers K, `which are in front thereof, so that the upper plane of the generatrices of the latter are in the extension of the plane of the floor of the lehr.

The operation is as follows:

The clutch R is engaged, which causes the rotation of the rollers of the-apparatus. A quantity of glass suflicient for the formation of a plate is placed in front of -the rolls B C of the forming machine. The glass plate E, after passing from the rolls B C, descend. onto tablet D and pass over rollers K. The head of -the still soft plate .is guided by the filling strips P, which prevents it from engaging between the rollers K.

When the sheet, rests entirely upon the `the operative position,

rollers it is shoved into the lehr, moving parallel with the axes of the rollers, without it being necessary to check the movement of the latter. Y

On Fig. 3 the roller apparatus is placed between two forming machines A1 and A2, which may alternately supply sheets to the table and then to the lehr. For this purpose the shaft N has a clutch Rl, R2, on each end .by` which it may be actuated at will by driving mechanism O1 of forming machine Alor by mechanism O2 of forming machine A2.

The rollers of the table may be thus caused to -alternately rotate in one direction and in the other, accordingly as they receive machines. i

sol

y'sheets from one or the other ofthe forming Y In order to reduce the number of contact l surfaces ofthe sheets as' they become cooled in moving over the apparatus, and thus need less support, the distance between these rollers is increased progressively. This a1"- rangement is not applicable where the apparatus serves two rolling machines except always feeding it from the same end, which may be accomplished by turning it about end for end after having served one- Ina'- chine in order to serve the other.

Forthispurpose the apparatus -may constructed in two parts, as shown on Fig. 4;. The lower part or carriage S, which is mounted on the wheels Gr, carries a pivot T, about which the upper part of frame U, carrying the rollers K and the drive shaft N; may rotate. Lifting jacks V, suspended to the frame U, permit of holding the apparatus stationary in one or the other of bearing on the sockets It is understood that the constructionall details and operation of the invention, the forms, dimensions, materials used, etc., may vary without departing from the principle of the invention.

In my ydivisional application, Serial No.

the structure shown in this application. This application is directed to the reversibility ofthe receiving mechanism shown in Fig. 4u 115 and to the rollers of such mechanism.

I-Iaving thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is f l. The combination with a lehr, of two machines for forming discontinuous glass sheets, a mechanism for receiving sheet's from either of said machines, comprising a carriage mounted for turning about a central vertical pivot and carrying a plurality of sheet supporting rollerslocated in front l ofthe lehr and having their axes parallel to the line of feed into the lehr, and `means for driving the rollers at a peripheral speed slightly inexcess of the speed of the sheet formation, comprising a shaft mounted on thel carriage and a clutch by which it may be connected to and driven from the drive of either of the sheet forming machines.

2. The combination With a lehr, of two machines for forming discontinuous glass sheets, a mechanism for receiving shleets from either'of said machines, comprising a carriage mounted for turning about a central vertical pivot and carrying a plurality of sheet supporting rollers located in front of the lehr and having their axes parallel to the line of feed into the lehr, with means for driving the rollers through a connection from either of said forming machines,

3. The combination with a lehr and a machine for forming discontinuous glass sheets, a mechanism for receiving' sheets compris*- ing a carriage carrying a plurality of sheet supporting rollers between the forming device and the lelir, said rollers having their axes parallel to the line of feed into the lehr, `With a receiving surface formed'byl a helical winding of metal.

4. The combination withY a lehrand a machine for forming discontinuous glass f sheets, a mechalnsm for receiving sheets comprising a carriage carrying a plurality of sheet supporting rollers located in front of the forming device and beside the lehr and having their axes parallel to the line of feed into the lehr, said rollers being metal tubes on which has been welded a supporting surface of Wire.

5. The combination with a lehr, of an intermittent sheet glass formin machine, mechanism for receiving glass s eets therefrom, comprising a roller bed, extending across the entrance of the lehr and comprising rollers, the axes of which are parallel to the line of feed through-the lehr, said rollers having a limited supporting surface formed by projections which run axially of the roller. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my signature. c

lLOUIS BOUDIN. 

